Thunder G Russell Westbrook Fits Right In At N.Y. Fashion Week

Westbrook's style has garnered praise from many in the fashion industry

Thunder G Russell Westbrook's "presence as a front-row regular" at N.Y. Fashion Week "may have caught some of the other Fashion Week attendees by surprise, but the player believes he belongs among their ranks," according to Bee Shapiro of the N.Y. TIMES. Westbrook said when he arrived in the NBA in '08, "nobody was doing anything that would attract the fashion crowd" clothing-wise. Westbrook first "appeared on the fashion radar" during the '12 NBA Playoffs when he "chose a dizzying succession of unconventional prints." His new look "paid off" as January's issue of GQ showcased Westbrook in "a multipage spread wearing printed shirts." He also was the "first athlete to appear" on the cover of L.A.-based Flaunt fashion magazine. Levi’s in February "featured him in an ad campaign," and in March, he was featured in an interview with the Italian men's version of Vogue magazine. GQ Creative Dir Jim Moore said Westbrook is "part of a newer generation, players that take fashion as a real badge of cool," and he can "really run circles around you as far as knowing the latest Givenchy show." Flaunt Editorial Dir Matthew Bedard added that Westbrook "stands out for his daring color and original print selections." Designer Richard Chai said that Westbrook's style is "refreshing from a designer’s standpoint because he’s not afraid of tackling stereotypes." Vogue Entertainment Editor Jill Demling called Westbrook the "Kate Moss of the NBA." But Shapiro writes while some athletes "might be satisfied with a fashion show appearance or two," Westbrook has "greater ambitions." He would "like to have a line" one day (N.Y. TIMES, 9/12).